Art of manufacturing slabs or the like of cement or like material



L. BAUMGARIL. y ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS 0R THE LIKE 0F CEMENT 0R LIKE MATERIAL.

AAPPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, I9I6.

L. BAUMGARTL ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS OR THE LIKE 0F CEMENT 0R LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATIQNr FILED NOV. 7, |916.

' Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

Am, A

Lara L. BAUMGARTL. ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS OR THE LIKE 0F CEMENT 0R LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, I9I6. 1,353,510. PatentedSept. 21, 1920 ISIIEETS-SHEET L. BAUIVIGARTL.

ART 0F MANUFACTURING sLABs 0R THE LIKE 0E CEMENT oRYLIKE MATERIAL.

.APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1916. 1,853,510. Patentedsept. 21,1920.

TsHEETs-sHEET 4.

L. BAUMGIARTLl ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS 0R THE LIKE 0F CEMENT 0R LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1916. 1,353,510.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

[72 acn?? L. BAUMGARTL.

ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS 0R THE LIKE 0F CEMENT OR-LIKE MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 7. 191e.

1 353 510. Patentedsept. 21, 1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

vengoz l f )da @5% L. BAUMGARTL.

ART 0F MANUFACTURING SLABS 0R THE LIKE 0F CEMENT 0R LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7l 1916. 1,353,51 O. PaIenIed sept. 21,1920.

' 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

fw E j nutren stares; Param "ori-ica LEROY BAUMGARTL, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

enr or MANUrAcrUJarNG .sLABs on THE Linn or CEMENT on LIKE MATERIAL.

Specification-of Letters Patent. Patented Sep'ggrg, 1920.

Original lapplication led July 29, 1916, Serial No. 112,007. Divided and this application vfiled November a citizen of the UnitedA States, residing at f Chicago, in the county of- Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art of Manufacturing Slabs or the likeof Cement or like Material, of which the following is a specification.

'My invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of slabs or tile of the reinforced type `used in building roofs, or other structures, though as will be clearly understood, it is not limited touse in manufacturing these particular structures, nor is it limited to the manufacture of this vparticu'- lar type of slab or tile, the present application being j divided out of my pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 112,007, iled July 29, 1916.

My primary object is to provide improvements in this art to the end that the operation of forming such structures of cement,

or the' like, may. be rapidly, economically and satisfactorily performed..

'Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the front end portion of a machine of a desiri the machine shown in Fig. 2, this view illusable construction for practising my ,inven- Ition, and Fig. 2, a similar view of the rear end of the machine, these two views being a continuation of each other. .Fig. 3 is a i view in longitudinal sectional elevation of the structure shown in F ig.y 1 taken immediately inside of one of the side bars, this view showing the machinel in operation in which condition the cement, or the like, 'is\ discharged, from the hopper therein shown,

upon the/ juxtaposed pallets whereon it is operated Jon by the tamping mechanism. Fig. 4 is a View like Fig. 3, of that part of trating the operation of the machine wherein, after applying the reinforcing material. the upper surface of the cement is roughened and vthereafter a second layer of ce" ment is applied to the .previously-formed layer of cement and tamped into position, the upper surface of the tamped mass being then smoothed o and ar finishing material applied to the mass. Fig. 5 is'an enlarged section/taken at the broken line 5 on Fig. 1 and viewed inthe direction of the arrow.' Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken at the line 6 on Fig. `1 and viewed in the direction 7, 1916. Serial Ffm-129,981.

of the arrow, this view being taken adjacent one of the 4tamping devices. Fig. 7 is a section taken at the line 7l on Fig. 2 and viewed .in the direction of the arrow, this vlew belng taken adjacent the brush device for roughenl'ng the upper surface of the first layer of cement. Fig. 8 is anl enlarged broken section taken at the line 8 on Fig. l and viewedI 'in they direction of the arrow. F 1g. 9 is a similar section taken at the line 9 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the directisn of the arrow. Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken at the line 10 onFig. 2 and viewed in the direction of lthe'arrow, this View being taken adjacent the surfacing disk which cooperates with the slabs and produces a smoothing of the surface of the latter. Fig. 11 is a section takenat the line 11 on F ig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the ture of cement and fine sand, colored Iif dej sired, for lcausing the slab to present the desired finish, is applied to the slabs. Fig.

l2 is an enlarged section takenat the line 12 on Figs. 2 and 4 and viewed in the direction of the larrow. Fig. 13 is a broken plan view of the device which serves by trowel action to. finish the upper surfaces of the slabs. Fig. 14 is an` enlarged broken section, partly diagrammatic, taken at the line 14 on Fig. 1 and viewed. in the direction of the arrow, one-half only o f the convcyerbelt forming the bottom of this hopper` be'- ing shown. Fig. 15 is a broken enlarged view of the device of Fig. 11 for applying the surfacing material, showing` it in section, as represented in Fig. 4, with the 'cementrslab directly under it in position to receive the material. tive View of one ofthe plurality of pallets upon which the slabs are formed in the operation of the machine. Fig. 17 is abottom plan view of the .pallet of Fig, 16. Fig. 18 is a plan view `of the slab formed by theparticular construction of machine illustrated, a part of one layer of the slab being broken away to disclose the reinforcement embedded in the slab between the two layers of cement. Fig. 19 is a view in side elevation, and in the nature of a diagram, of the right-hand end of the machine, this View corresponding with Fig. 1 and being taken immediately inside of one of the side- Fig. 16 is a perspec- -fout' the detail of certain ployed. Fig. is 'a view like Fig. 19 of mio sion-plate showing the mcansof attachmentto the conveyer-chain.

The machine illustrated in the drawings and of a desirable construction for practising my invention, andproviding for the formation of flat slabs of cement7 or the like, with reinforcement embedded therein, is formed of a supporting frame-work 30, preferably formed of longitudinally-extending angle irons 31 and-32 spaced apart transversely of the machine; longitudinally-extending bars 33 and .'34 spaced apart and arranged above the angle irons 31 .and 32;

" trated two hoppers orv scribed, and. which upright bars 3 5 and 36at opposite ends of the frame at the corners thereof which connect the said angle bars and the bars 33 and 34 together; other upright bars 37 and 38 arranged at opposite sides of the frame and connecting the bars 31, 32, 33 and 34 together; and struts 39 connected with these bars and serving to increase the rigidity of the frame. The uprights 36, 37, 38 and 39 are connected with the angles 31 and 32 by means yof spacer-bolts 40, and the bars 33 and 34 are connected with these uprights and with the struts 39 through the medium of spacer-bolts 41 which extend at their reduced ends through these uprights, blocks 42 and 43, the bars 33 and 34, and bars 44 and 45 which extend at their upper edges a distance slightly below the center line of the bars`33 and 34, and form tracks upon which thev division-plates hereinafter referred to, move. N l

In the construction of the machine illusfeed devices, for

feeding the cement or other material used .and from which the slabs areto be made,

are employed,"one ,of these hopperssupplying to the pallet' devices hereinafter deare driven through the` machine in continuous succession, the cement for forming the lower layer .of theslab, and the other of the hoppers supplying to the layer of cement first discharged upon the pallets, a second layer of cement,-prefe-rably upon a sheet of reinforcement applied to the upper surface of the first layer, these two hoppers or feed-,devices being represented generally at 46 and 47. The bars 33 and 34 are spaced apart provided in sections, and are lengthwise of the machine at w Y L* mesmo two places, as indicated at 48 and 49 immediately in advance of the discharge ends of the hoppers, 46 andv 47, respectively, at which locations it is desired that the cement discharged by the feed devices be tamped into Vcompact condition, and accordingly provision is made for effecting this operation, as hereinafter explained. rFhe spaces 48 and 49 at opposite sides of the machine are fitted with vertically adjustable sections 50 and 51, these sections being in the form of plates which lare mounted to extend in alinement with the plates 33 and 34. The plates 50 and 51 are adjustably supported in the same way, and therefore a description of the one set of plates will suflice. The plates 50 contain verticalslots 52 through` which the reduced ends of spacer-bolts 52"L extend, these reduced ends 'also extending through the bars 44 and 45 at opposite sides o f the machine and the upper ends of uprlghts 53 and 54, the latter 'secured at their lower ends to they angles 31 and 32. `The lower edges of the plates 50 coperate with vertically-disposed set-screws 55, which screw into the horizontal portions of depending brackets 56 secured to the inner sur! faces of the bars 44 and 45 as more particularly shown in Fig. 9.

In the particular construction of machine illustrated, the bars 33 and 34 and 50 and 51, which are'in alinement lengthwise of the machine as stated, form means which confine the cement, or the like material, against lateral` spreading during the operation of vtamping the lcement delivered from the hoppers referred to to the pallets, which latter are moved through the machine in end to end relation by the conveyer devices. of which the following is a description.

Journaled in the upper ends of the uprights 35 and 36 are shafts 57 and 58, rrespectively, these shafts carrying sprockets 59 and 60, respectively, located midway between the ends of these shafts, as represented-of the sprocket 60 in Fig. 11. These sprockets are connected together byan endless conveyer-chain 61 which is providedat intervals of equal distance with outwardlyextending lugs 62 which are` spaced apart preferably a distance equal-to the length,

Vof the pallets employed and represented at ranged on the conveyer-chain that they engage the ends of the pallets and move them through the machine in relatively close order'. The spacers'41 and 52a form journal supports. for rollers 66 held against lateral movement thereon byy pins 67, these rollers being arranged. at opposite sides of the center line of the machine and in proper po- 1,353,510 i f y c i a sition to enter the channels 68 provided in bars 69 secured to, and depending from, the undersides of the pallets 63, these bars extending lengthwise of thepallets and in parallel relation to each other and to the lateral edges of the pallets. j

It may be here stated that in the operation of the machine the pallets in succession are introduced into that portion of the machine which is bounded by the plates 33 and 34, to rest at their channeled portions 68 upon'the rollers 66, the pallets bemg pushed forwardly by hand until they are in a poe sition4 to be engaged by the plates 64 on the conveyer which by engaging with the rear ends of the pallets drives the latter to the left in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. l

Referring to the hopper 46, this structure as shown is formed of side-members 70 spaced apart, extending lengthwise of the machine and connected with transverselydisposed members 71and 72 which, with the side-members 70, form a hopper or conduit through which the cement, or other material from which the slabs are to be made, is conducted to the pallets. rllheinner'surfaces of the side members 7 0 are recessed as indicated at 73, in whlch bars 74v are located. These bars,..which are connected with the upper ends of legs 75 which. are secured to the bars 35 and 34 and by lwhich the structure being described is supported, are rigidly held in position in the side-members 7 O and brace the parts of this structure, b spacer-bolts'7 6 which extend at their re uced ends through openings in the bars 74 and sides 70, the shouldered lenlarged portions of these spacer-bolts 76 ftting against the inner surfaces of the bars 74 and the vnuts 77 for these bolts bearing.

. against the outer facesof the side-members veyer 61.

70. The hopper 46 is provided with means for forcing the cement, or other material with which it is charged, into position for discharge uponv, the -pallets as theyare moved in succession through the machine through the medium uof vthe endless con- This mechanism as shown comprises an endless rbelt 78 supported on rollers 79 and 8() fixed on shaftsv81 and 82, respectively. The shaft 81 is journaled at its opposite ends iii bearings 83 rigidly secured to the bars 74 and extending into recesses 84 in the lower edges of the sidemembers 70, and the shaft 82 extends.

through recesses 85 in the side-members 70, through slots (not shown) in the bars 74 and is .journaled in bearings 86 adjustablelongitudinally ofthe belt78 by means of a belt tightener represented at 87, the up? per portion of the beltA running over rollers -88 journal'ed atv their reduced. ends in bearings 89 provided on ythe upper ends of straps 90 secured tothe inner surfaces of the bars 74. The shaft81carries a sprocket the hopper.

91 driven, as hereinafter described, for ac? tuating the conveyer. The hopper 46 contains, by preference, means for agitating the cement in the hopper and aiding 'in the discharge of the cement from this part of the apparatus for. delivery to, the pallets. The agitator in the forir illustrated, comprises a body-portion 92 of rectangular shape in cross-section rigidly mounted on a shaft 93 -journaled in the sides 70 of the hopper and equipped,with a sprocket 94, driven as hereinafter described, and blades 95 secured to the body-portion 92, it being .preferred that these blades be' provided of the form, and arranged, asshown, namely, to extend outwardly from the body-portion 92'in the planes of its sides, withthese sets of blades which are disposed at right angles to each other arranged in staggered relation (Fig. 5). In the operation ,of,the

ymachine the cement discharges from the hopper in ribbon form andj in order that this ribbon shallbe of unifoimthickness a gage device, represented at 96, is provided. This gage device comprises a -`board 97 which extends crosswise of the hopper def vice and forms a continuation of the hopper section ,72 which it overlaps and on which lit is adjustable up and down to adjust the rearwardly-extending plate-section 98 of this device, vertically with respect to the conveyer-belt 78, the height at which this part -98 extends gaging'thethickness of the ribbon of cementl discharged from ,being discharged, kas to the first layer, represented at directly upon the pallets,l

and, as to the second layer, represented at Y upon the reinforcement applied-to the top of the first laye'r, is tamped to cause the slab when completed tor be 'of the, desired is of the same construcdensity. In carrying out this purpose a set ,of tampers is provided adjacent the discharge end of each of the Ihopper Vmechanisms 46and 47 and adjacent thebar-'sections 50 and 51. These'tampers are preferably so provided that the compressing of the cement to thev final density required is ef# fected by a series of steps; or, iir other words, it is irst tamped 'toa certain height i by one tamper, thento a slightly less height by the next tamper, and so on, until the last i, tamper tamps y the material to the desired level. ln the arrangement shown the tamping of each layer is effected by three tampers, those forl the first layer. being repre-- sented. atl 99, 100 and 101, and the tampers for the second, `or superposed, layer of cement being represented at 102, 103 and 104. The tampers shown each comprises a tamper proper 105 mounted at lateral extensions 106 thereon on the upper ends of slide-rods e 107 slidingly confined to be reciprocated vertically, in guides 108 secured to the upright bars 53 and 54, the rods 107 having pitma'n connection -at 109 With crank-pins 1,10 provided on the opposite ends of a shaft 111 journaled in the adjacent upright bars 53 and' 54,*Whereby upon rotating the shafts 111 the tamper devices 105 will be reciprof cated up and down. In the particular -arrangement shown, the shafts 111, for actuating the tamping devices 99, 100 and 101,l are connected together, through the medium of gears 112, 113 and 114 rigidly secured to these three shafts, the shaft 111 carrying the gear 11,4, being provided with a ysprocket 115 through the medium` of which these three tampers are driven, as hereinafter described. The three shafts 111, through the medium of which the tampers 102, 103 and 104 are operated, are provided with gears 116, 117 and 118 meshing with each other, the shaft111 on which the gear 116 is carried being provided with a sprocket 119 by means of which vthese three shafts are operated, fas hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to the tampers 99,

100 and 101, the tampers proper 105 of these devices are mounted on rods 107 at such a distance above the respective shafts'111 for 'operating them, that the tamper 99, which f .'plained of the other tampers.

In the operation of the machine described for producing slabs or tiles containing reinforcing members which may be of any suitable construction and which according to the illustration in Fig. 18`and represented at 120 is a' suitable Wire mesh, but which may be rods, or both, the sheets or pieces of reinforcement are applied to the upper surface of the first layer of cement, namely, that applied bythe hopper device 46, by an- ,operator located intermediate the series of tampers 99, and'lOl, and a roller device iesseie 121 mounted on the shaft 121a journaled in the side-members of the frame'of the ma* chine,A operates to force the reinforcement intol embedded condition in the said first layer of cement, asthe pallets with the cement compacted thereon are moved under `this roller. A slight distance in the rear of the roller 121 is a mechanism represented generally at 122 for engaging the cement exposed through the meshes of the reinforcing members 120, to coat the metal thoroughly for proper protection and roughen the cement layer to prepare it for desirable bond ing With the second layer of cement applied through the medium of the hopper device 47 these means, as shown, comprising a brush device 124, the depending bristles of which are so positioned that they bear against the surfaces of the cement to be roughened, this brush being journaled to rotate in a horizontal plane, at a stem 125 thereon journaled in bearings 126 an'd 127 mounted on cross-pieces 128 and 129, respectively, secured `rigidly to the uprights 38, the shaft 125 carrying a miter-gear 130 Which meshes With another miter-gear 131 on a shaft 131a journaled in a bearing 132 mounted in 'one of the uprights 38 and carrying a sprocket-Wheel 133 through the medium of which the brush is continuously rotated as hereinafter described.

Located a slight distance beyond they tampers 102, 103and 104 is a mechanism for gaging the thickness of slabs to be produced,

to insure the production of slabs of uniform and desired thickness. These means, in the construction shown, comprise a smoothing disk 134 mounted t0 extend in a horizontal plane, on the lower end of a vertically-disposed shaft '1135 journaled in bearings 136 and 137 Y mounted on cross-pieces 138 and 139 secured to the uprights 37, the shaft 135 carrying aymiter-gear 140 which meshes with another miter-gear 141 on a shaft 141a journaled ina bearing '142 in one of the uprights 37 and carrying a sprocket 143 through the medium of which the disk 134 is continuously rotated, as hereinafter described. The disk 134 is so positioned that the lower surface thereof extends into the plane in which it is desired that the upper surface of the slabs or tile, in finished condition extend, this disk Which extends into recesses. 144 operating, When rotated, to shear 4off the upper surface of the slabs or tile to the desired thickness, it being preferredsthat a,l deflector 145' secured at its ends 146 to the uprights 37 and positioned immediately above the disk 134, be provided for deflecting toward opposite sides of the machine, to discharge through the recesses 144, the cement displacedby the disk 134.

In the rear of the surfacing mechanism just described are means for applying to the upper surfaces of the slabs or tile a surfacing material, such as that hereinbefore described, for producing the desired finish on the slabs or tile, and illing up any voids in the upper surfaces of the slabs. rlhe mechanism illustrated for this purpose comprises a hopper 147 supported at its side -walls on the adjacent spacer-bolts 41, as represented in Fig. 511, the bottom of -this hopper being' provided with a device for producing a constant feed of the material to the upper surfaces of the slabs which comprises a cylindrical shell 148 secured to the hopper at flanges 149 at opposite ends thereof, to extend across the discharge openings'in the bottom of the hopper, this shell containing diametrically opposing openings.

150 and 151 disposed i'nya vertical plane; and a rotatable cylindrical member 152 lo'- catedin said shell and provided about-its periphery with a series of grooves 153 extending longitudinally thereof and adapted when the' member 152 is rotated to feed the material to the .top of the slabs by receiv ing it through the opening 150 and discharging it through the 'opening 151. The member 152 is rotated through the medium of a sprocket 154 fixed on one ofthe reduced ends 155 of'ft-he rotary device 152 journaled in bearings 156 secured to the sides ofthe hopper. In order that the surfacing material applied to the slabs from the hopper 147 be uniformly distributed over the upper surfaces thereof, I provide a trowel-device illustrated at 157 which is formed of a top plate 158 and side plates 159, the latter bebeing supported on the said side members through the medium o f a bolt 162, w'hich extends through these bars and through elongated slots 163 in'thesid'e members 159, per`- mitting' adjustment of the trowel to vary the height at which the edge 161 thereof extends. r A

T he various driving connections for the several parts 'are as followsv: The power is applied to the lmachine throughthe shaft 164 j ournale'd'i bearings in the uprights 38,

vand equipped with sprockets 165, 166, 167 t and 168, the shaft being driven through the sprocketl 167 from, any Isuitable source of power. The sprocket 168 is connected by means .of a sprocket-chainY 169 with a sprocket 170 on the 'shaft 58 vwhich carries lthe conveyer-supporting 'and -operatingsprocket 60. The shaft l58 also carries a v sprocket 171 which connects by means of a chain 172 with a sprocket 17 3 fixed on lthe shaft 81, this chain extending over, and in' l driving engagement with, the sprocket 143 vsprocket 174 which engages a sprocket-chain 175 which passes partially around, and en- 75 gages, the sprocket 133, extends over an idler 176 mounted on' a shaft'177 journaled 'in the sides of the hopper-device47 and under, and in engagement with, the sprocket 94 of the second hopper-device through the' medium ofcwhich the agitator therein is actuated. rlhe shaft 57 which is driven from the shaft 58, as hereinbefore explained, i is provided with 'asprocket 178 which engages a sprocket-'chain 179 which extends over idler-sprockets 180 and 181 on shafts 182 and 183 journa-led in the sides of the hopper 46 and under, and in engagement with, the sprocket 94 which operates the agitator in the hopper of Fig. 1. The sprocket 165 on theipower-shaft 164 engages a sprocket-chain 184 which extends into enygagementA with the sprocket 119 for driving the set of tampers102,'103 and 104; and the Sprocket 166 on this power-shaft is connected by a sprocket-chain 185 with the sprocket 115 for actuating the tampers 99, and 101. f .The plates 64I carried by the conveyerchain 61 not only serve as'theimeans where- 100 by the pallets are advanced through the ma chine, but also serve to cause the mass of cement on each pallet to be separatedfrom the masses of cement on adjacent vpallets, order that the cement shall be formed in' slabs or tile and permit ofthe separate removal from the machine, of each pallet with the slab or` tile superposed thereon, As a desirable way of performing Vthis result l prefer to provide for 4the rise \of these. division-plates in the'spaces between adja" cent pallets during the movement of the pallets through the machine, but without inter- 'fering with the operation of the tampers, and this is preferably done by so forming' the4 tracks 44 and 45 that these plates in moving along the tracks will be given' the proper vertical movement'. This feature of construction is best illustrated in Figs. `19 and 20, these views being a continuationof 120 each other wherein the tops of the tracks 44 and 45 from the right-hand end of the maphine to the line indicated at 186 aresubsta-ntially horizontal and extend in such, a vertical plane ltha't the upper edges of the 125 division-plates 64,A which -pre'ferabl are d relatively sharp," extend considerably below the lowest point to which the bottom surface yof the tamper-head 105 of the tamper 99, 4

moves in the operation of this tamper. 1 30 so.y

- From the line 186 to the line 187 the tracks 44 and 45 incline upwardly, preferably to such a vertical height'as will cause the top edges of the division-plates to just clear the' end surface of the head 105 of the tamper 101 when the latter is in its lowermost position and will cut its way through the cement and become exposed to view at the line 187 From theline 187 to the line 188 the upper surfaces of these tracks are substantially horizontal, and from line 188 to line 189 they again incline upwardly at such conveyer-chain 61 inclines downwardly to the sprocket 60 at a relatively sharp angle,

as represented at 191, in Fig. 20, this angle being suihciently great to insure sufficient downward movement of the division-plates 3,@ in moving from the line 190 to the center of the said sprocket, to withdraw them from between the pallets and brealr the bond between these plates and the cement. llt will be understood from the foregoing that by this arrangement the cement, oor other niaterial delivered to the pallets, while in ribbon form, is automatically operated on to render the slabs or tile on adjacent pallets, in separated condition.

A general description of the operation of the .construction is as follows: Aissuming that power is applied to the shaft 164, the .y conveyer-ehain 61 is caused to 'travel inthe directionof the arrows .in Figs. 1 and 2, the

agitators Vandfconveyers in the hoppers 46 and 47 areoperated in a direction for discharging cement, or'the like, of any desir- `able constituency, as, for example, that-commonly used in the manufacture of cement 50 slabs or tile, fed into the hoppers in yany suitable manner, but preferably continuously from a cement-mixing-machine; the tampers are reciprocated up and down; the brush device 164 and the finishing-disk 134 are caused ,to rotate, and the feeding device for the surfacing material to be applied to the slab, is actuated; the operator appliesto the rollers 66 at the'right-hand endof the machine in Fig. 1, the empty pallets, a pallet being to introduced into each -space between adjacent ones ofthe division-plates 64 which are carried by the chain 61 in an endless path. When the-pallets reach a position in their movement to the left in Figs. 1 to 4, inclu- 65 sive, in which theyare directlybelow the tampingit to the greatest density. The d1- 1,353,51o ff like, discharged 1n r1bbon form from the -first hopper device 46 (Figs. 1 and 3) at a speed equal to the speed of movement of the conveyer chain 61. As the pallets carrying the cement material applied to them pass, under the tampers 99, 100 and 101' the cement layer thereon is compacted to progressively greater density, the greater density being produced by the tamper 101, the divisionv plates 64 gradually-work up through this layer of cement as it is being tamped and finally at the `line 187 forcing their way through the upper surface of the layer to become exposed. Between this point and the roller 121 the operator applies the sheets 120 of reinforcing material to the upper surfaces of .the layer between adjacent divisionlplates 64, ythese division-plates serving to apprise the operator of the location of the ends of the slabs or tile tobe formed. As the conveyer 61 continues to move, it carries the pallets and their load under the roll 1521 which presses the reinforcement into the cement, as hereinbefore described. r1`he upper surface 'of the cement is then acted upon by the rotating brush device y124 which coats the reinforcement and ronghens the cement, preparing it lor desirable bond with the second 'layer of cement which' is applied in snperposed position on the tirst layer thereof from the hopper' device 47 wherein the conveyer 78 cooperating with this hopper device and the agitator therein operates to discharge the cement at substantially the same rate of speed as that at which the conveyer 61 travels. The ribbonn cement thus discharged as the secondlayer npon the first f layer ot cement with the reinforcement 105 thereon, moves successively under the tampers 102,103 and 104, wherein it is tampe uprogressively to varying degrees of density,

the last tamper to operate, namely, 104,

' 11o vision-plates 64 in this operation gradually forcetheir way upward through the cement and when they reach a position immediately below the center of the finishing-disk 134 they extend at their upperh surfaces substantially flush with the under surface of the latter, so that thisr finishing disk in shearing oid the upper surface `of the cement to pro*` duce the slabs or tile of desired thickness, shears it olf substantially Hush with the upper surfaces of the plates 64 and thus a sharp and clean separation of the cement mass on'adjacent pallets, isproduced, the detlector 145 linthis operation disposing ofl the'surplus cement displaced bythe finishing-disk 134. ln the continued movement of the conveyer 61, the slabs or tile pass under the device `for applying the finishing material and shown partly in Fig. 15 where the nnishing material is applied, and then pass 13@ under the trowel 157 which compresses the finishing coatY and binds it to the body of the slabs or tile. In the movement of the pal-` lets to the left in Fig. 20, from'the line 190, the division-plates 64 by reason of the downward inclination of the conveyerchain 61, as indicated at 191, are caused to move downward through the spaces between adjacent ends of the pallets, thus breaking the bond between them and the cement. The pallets with the formed slabs or tile thereon are removed from the machine by hand, or disposed of in any other suitable manner.

By locating the tampersof each set thereof closely adjacent to each other and so arranging them in connection with their operating mechanism that they tamp to successively different elevations, the material acted on by each tamper in advance of its coperating tampers, serves to crowd iii a rearward direction, portions of the cement mixture into a position in which it is again subjected to the action of a tamper which previously acted upon it andthus the tamping of the material in its movement through the machine is augmented with the obvious advantage.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the'sides of the channelvthrough which the cement material is moved, be stationary, Aas explained in the preceding description, inasmuch,as the cement material in moving alongthese sides and in contact therewith,

`the latter by reason of the tamping ofv the material in thechannel, becomes relatively more dense along its opposite edges, which is obviously an advantage.

While I have illustrated and described a particular construction for carrying" out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it to use with said machine, as it may be practised by other mechanisms and apparatus.

, What 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of manufacturing slabs, or

'i the` like, of cement, or the like material,

which consists in feeding a layer of cement,

. or the like, to a movable support, compacting the cement applied to said support, ap-

plying reinforcing material to the upper surface of said layer, applying a 'second layer of cement,'or the like, to said first-ap.-

plied layer, and compacting ,saidl second layer.

2. The method of manufacturing slabs, or

the like,rof cement, or the like material,

which consists in feeding a layer` of cement, or the like, to a support and movin said support, compacting the cement applied to said support, applying reinforcing material to the upper( surface of said layer, roughening the upper surface of said layer, applying a second layer of cement, or the like, to-

said first-applied layer, and compacting said second layer. l

3. rlhe method of manufacturing slabs, or the like, of cement, or the like material, which consists infr'discharging a layer of cement, or the like, upona movable support formed of separate sections, compacting thecement on said support, applying reinforcingl'material to the upper surface yof said layer, applying a second layer of cement, or thelike, to sald first-named layer, compacting said second layer, and separating the ce- .ment on each of said sections from the ce- 5. The method of manufacturing slabs, or.

the, like, of cement, or the like material,

which consists in feeding to a movable support, a layer of cement, or the like material, compressingthe material on said support by a series of operations performed at different points along the support and cutting upwardly into said layer 'as/ the process of compressing the material progresses and `where the same is being compressed.

6. The method of manufacturing slabs, or the like, of cement, or the like material,

lwhich consists in feeding to a support, a

layer of cement, or the like material, and moving said support, and tamping said layer, while in motion', at different points along said support sufficiently closely adjacent to, each other to cause portions of the material of the layer to be crowded rearwardly from one point of tamping to another. v

7. The method of manufacturing slabs, or the like, of cement, or the like material, which consists-in feeding a layer of cement, or the like, to a vsupport and moving thesupport, compacting the cement applied to sald support, applying reinforcing mater1al to the upper surface of 'said layer, roughenlng second layer of cement, or the like. to said first-applied layer, compacting said second layer, and separating the mass of cement intermediate adjacent strips of reinforcement into a plurality of slab-formlng. sectlons.

8. The method of manufacturmg slabs, or

the like,of cement, or the like material,

which consists in feedinga layer of cement, ory the like, to a support presenting spaces at intervals along the support moving said support, compacting the cement applied to said support, cutting upwardly into said layer, material to the upper surface of said layer, roughening the upper surface of said layer', applying a second layer of cement to said first-applied layer, cutting upwardly through said second layer, and compacting said second layer atj said spaces.

9. The method of manufacturlng slabs, or

at said spaces applyingreinforcing n the like, of cement, orthe like material, which consists in feeding to a movable sup-l 10 v port a layer of the material, compressing the material on said support and cutting upwardly into the layer to sever'the same Where the sam'e is being compressed;

. LEROY BAUMGARTL.) 

